Benedict praises volunteering, warns against activism

Praising volunteering as a "school of life", Pope Benedict has warned
against allowing the experience to degenerate into "simple activism".

Catholic News Agency
reports that Pope Benedict made his comments in an address to members
of the National Italian Confederation of the "Misericordias."

Thanking the volunteers for their efforts, Pope Benedict warned them not to let their activities become mere activism.

"With
your presence and your action, you contribute to the spreading of God's
Gospel of love for all mankind," Pope Benedict said.

"The
Misericordias," he continued, "are the oldest type of volunteer
organisation to have arisen in the world." The group, according to its
founder was formed, "to give honour to God with works of mercy towards
neighbours, with the utmost anonymity and totally without cost," the
Holy Father pointed out.

The Pope also reflected on the
important work the group does in preserving the "Christian roots" of
Italy and Europe. The Holy Father affirmed that, "the Misericordias are
not an ecclesial aggregation, but that its historical roots are
unmistakably Christian."

To maintain its roots, the Pope
emphasised the need for carrying out "periodical moments of
qualification and training, to study evermore the human and Christian
motives of our activities."

"The risk," he added, "is that
volunteering can be reduced to a simple activism. If instead the
spiritual weight remains vital, you can share with others much more
than just the material goods they need, you can offer to your neighbour
facing difficulties, the gaze of love which he needs."

He also
referred to the "educational function", by which the Misericoridas,
give life to the noble virtues of fraternity and, "the disinterested
assistance of those in the midst of difficulties."

"In
particular," the Holy Father concluded, "young people can draw the
benefit of the volunteer experience, because if correctly approached,
it becomes for them a 'school of life', which helps them to give to
their own existence a sense and a purpose which is higher and more
profound."